Radio Disney & Radio Aahs: Battle for the Airwaves
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Years before Radio Disney hit the airwaves, station owner Christopher Dahl had an idea for a 24/7 children's radio network. In 1990 Dahl rolled the dice and created the Children’s Broadcasting Corporation, and with it he set out to prove that a dedicated children’s radio network was a viable business idea. He would be proven right, and yet it would cost him everything.
(Special thanks to patron, Val, for the topic idea!)
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Sources
“Investor favors 24-hour-a-day radio for kids”, Hattiesburg American (Hattiesburg, Mississippi), Apr 8 1995
“Radio networking especially for kids”, The Des Moines Register (Des Moines, Iowa), Apr 25 1995
“ABC agreement signals hope for Radio AAHS”, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Dec 18 1995
“Radio Aahs’ new shows have Universal appeal”, The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Florida), Oct 11 1996
“Children’s Broadcasting tunes in to new markets”, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Oct 17 1996
“Is Mickey Mouse just a big rat with jaws?”, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Nov 16 1996
“KCNR Will Abandon Talk Radio Format for Disney Programming”, The Salt Lake Tribune (Salt Lake City, Utah), Nov 15 1996
“Radio Disney debuts today”, The Atlanta Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia), Nov 18 1996
“Children's Broadcasting Sues DIsney, ABC Radio”, The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California), Sep 28 1996
“Children’s network sues Disney, ABC”, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Sep 28 1996
“L.A. verdict against Disney Co. catches attention of CBC”, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), May 12 1997
“Children’s broadcasting sells all its stations due to Disney competition”, The Odessa American (Odessa, Texas), Jun 7 1997
“Children’s Broadcasting will sell stations”, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Jun 7 1997
“Disney setting up national network of radio stations directed at children”, The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), Jul 31 1997
“Broadcaster to discontinue Aahs World Radio Program”, St. Cloud Times (Saint Cloud, Minnesota), Nov 4 1997
“Children’s Broadcasting radio station sale falls through; other buyers sought”, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Jan 29 1998
“Children’s Broadcasting Corp to sell 10 stations to Catholic radio group”, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Apr 21 1998
“Children’s Broadcasting to sell 2 radio stations”, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), May 1 1998
“Children’s Broadcasting Corp. wins lawsuit”, The Signal (Santa Clarita, California), Oct 1 1998
“Children’s Broadcasting gets better radio deal”, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Oct 28 1998
“Award overturned against Disney Co.”, Florida Today (Cocoa, Florida), Jan 19 1999
“Children’s Broadcasting changes name”, The Winona Daily News (Winona, Minnesota), Jun 30 1999
“Disney Faces New Trial in Intelefilm Contract Lawsuit”, The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California), Apr 11 2001
“Intelefilm files bankruptcy; awaits settlement” Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Aug 6 2002
“Former radio station wins $9.5 million in Disney suit”, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), May 11 2002’
“Intelefilm cuts jobs to finance Disney suit”, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Jun 8 2002
“Intelefilm Announces Liquidation Payment.” Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal, The Business Journals, 18 Aug. 2004,
American Radio Networks: A History by Jim Cox (McFarland, 2009)
"Did you win your lawsuit against Disney?"
"Yes"
"At what cost?"
"Everything"
One likewise could say this:
"Did you win your lawsuit against Disney?"
"Yes."
(Said absolutely no one.)
I literally forgot that I was watching a youtube video, I thought I was watching some kind of documentary. I really like how you can make anything sound interesting! :D
“You realize now when you work for Disney why the mouse has only four fingers-because he can't pick up a check"
- Robin Williams
Disney is a pretty ruthless company in business.
Hey Rob, Twin Cities resident here. I just wanna say this is one of my favorite episodes you’ve done and for most of it you activated the “OH YEAH I FORGOT ABOUT THAT!” Reflex. I was a kid during the radio AAHS years so it was fascinating to see as an adult what happened to it. Thank you!!!
Matt Schaak I grew up in Rochester and our “milestone” for every trip up to the Cities was picking up 1440, the AAHS/Radio Disney station.
@@andysorensen1737 1440 was actually Disney, 1280 was AAHS
@@aaronwestendorp7352 nerd
@@maccamachine And proud of it
@@aaronwestendorp7352 For a very short while, I was an employee of Radio AAHS, right at the end, working at 1280 WWTC, one of the people just playing music, waiting for the stations to be sold. It was in an old bank building right off of Highway 100 and Excelsior Boulevard. It was a lot of fun.
Now Radio Disney is closing in the first quarter of 2021...leaving Kids Place Live and Kidz Bop Radio as the only kids radio stations on the air...on Sirius XM, that is!
Arkon, Ohio has KIDJAM!, Lake Elsinore, California has KJNI-LP, Hillsville, Virginia has WWSO-LP, Gatineau, Qubec has CJEU.
My market (Chicago) doesn't seem to have one after we lost Radio Disney. If your kids wanted entertaining radio programming made just for them here, until something changes, you have to pay up and get XM. Us inner city folk aren't so lucky.
The irony of this is absolutely amazing.
What about JENNiRADIO?
I really like the new direction you're taking your content in making it feel more like a series of documentaries.
I live in Minneapolis, and growing up, I lived five minutes away from the studios of Radio Aahs, and I was a fan! I listened 24 7! Admittedly I also liked Radio Disney when they started up, but it spurred my love of radio, and I do a podcast for the local community station here!
My sister won a contest in the early 2000s and became a kid casters at radio Disney for Tampa, st.pete Clearwater! I was between the ages of 8 to 11 when she did it! We got to do so much free stuff including free tickets to Disney and staying the night at the Florida Aquarium. She was on the radio basically daily. The guy who ran the Tampa station Pat loved me and would always have me try out to be a kid caster but being young and dyslexic I never did good. He still gave me the chance any time I had enough confidence to try and audition. While my sister would host events I'd help the kids dance or hand out prizes! Once we got to go to the Christmas day parade at Disney world ( actually filmed and done in November) and we were on TV in the background with Regis and Kelly! If we stayed at a hotels connected to the monorail they would automatically give us concierge service for free! We got so much free stuff it was awesome!!
That sounds so cool
...and now Radio Disney goes the way of the dodo in 2021. I was a kid in the Twin Cities when this all went down. I never forgot how Radio Disney killed Radio Aahs.
I'm from So. Cal. and I remember Radio Aahs being on AM 840. I remember that back in the early 2000s Radio Disney had a promo where they say whazzup to Radio Aahs.
I thought it was AM 830, which now airs Angels baseball and is ironically enough an ESPN Radio affiliate.
I owe Radio Disney so much for everything in my older childhood/teen years. Greg Raposo, Dream Street, Stevie Brock, Play, Jump5, Aaron Carter, and all of that. They gave us so many concerts, tours, contests, etc. Man those were the days.
No, you owe Radio Ahhs a lot
I loved radio AAHS as a kid. I remember the last day they aired. I also remember despising radio Disney and feeling like they stole the radio AAHS concept even though I was a kid and didn’t know what was going on behind the scenes. Thanks for this video!
I was addicted to radio Disney. I had the cds and listened everyday while doing homework
This is making me connect some dots I never even knew I had. Here in Argentina there was a children's radio called Panda which began airing in late 1994. Between December 1994 and March 1995 there was a traveling Disney expo called Disney Animation Festival designed to promote the parks in Buenos Aires, and some of the kids and producers from Radio Panda attended to record for a program. When the folks at Disney learned of it, they were offered a permanent stand in the expo and, according to one of the execs, when one of the kids interviewed Roy, he said that they "hadn't come up with a radio for children yet" (I don't know if there are recordings of the interview available still, there are only newspaper quotes). I am now finding out, through your video, that Disney was indeed in the midst of this conflict with AAHS when all of this happened.
Excellent video Rob, as always!
Ironically Argentina is RD’s first international market on 94.3 in Buenos Aires
I'd forgotten Radio Disney was on AM. I remember struggling so many times getting it through my tape deck, one time sitting there with my hand on the antenna just to get to hear it well enough.
“...a battle that may have been lost to history.” Thank you for your researching and making sure it wasn’t lost on us. Another great video of Disney history. Keep them coming! 🏰💫👍
Radio Disney eventually abandoned the broadcast airwaves and instead distributed it's programming exclusively on it's website and app.
I'm studying Radio Broadcasting in college and this is a perfect video to share with my classmates.
Please do.
So Radio Aahs had the idea first, but Disney took their idea and left them in the dust.
Y'know, when you phrase it like that, it sounds just like so many other things Disney has done over the years...
Hey Rob, I gotta say thank you for this.
Being from Minnesota, I grew up with Radio AAHS listening to the station and the cassettes we had on road trips.
I knew Radio Disney had a major hand in the shutdown of the station, but didn't know how much.
I do have some pretty fond memories of listening to the radio with the family, and wanted to share one that happened many times.
Whenever "You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile" from Annie was on, it would always seem to lead to the weather right after, so my sisters and I would belt out the last little bit:
"UH, you're never fully dressed- UH, you're never fully dressed without a-" "RADIO AAHS WEEEAATTTHHHERRR!!"
I listened to both as a kid and Radio Aahs was always my favorite. I was so sad when they shut down because Disney just played a lot of pop songs and I missed all the other kid-centric songs I used to hear.
Radio Disney, the children’s radio. My child
Disneyland Paris, your abandoned child
@@CVerse Daaaaaaamnnnn that was kinda cold
@@ethan-iv5qg the hard truth
I LOVED Radio Aahs growing up. Waking up every morning for school hearing the "Good Morning" song lol. It was a huge part of my childhood during my elementary school years lol. I remember calling to request the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers theme song and the radio host told me that they will play it in an hour and all of a sudden they played the remix version of the theme song. It blew me away lol. I didn't hate Radio Disney, but it took me some getting used to. but around that time, I started getting into the "POPSTARS era" with Britney Spears, Mandy Moore, S Club 7, A*Teens, 98 Degrees to name a few lol. So Radio Disney had that covered lol
When I was in elementary school, a student won a contest for Radio Disney to come and do a show at the school. Biggest deal since burritos in the cafeteria.
I used to listen to Radio Disney religiously as a child. Had no idea it came about this way. Great video!
Wow. I used to LOVE radio Disney. The AM station was barely even audible and I was STILL so dedicated to listening 😭. Nothing but static and the Macarena. Meanwhile the cbc was probably clear as day. That’s the power Disney had over children.
It's amazing how a well-made documentary can make any subject interesting. I heard of Radio Disney once or twice, so I didn't know what to expect when I clicked, but I was hooked from beginning to end.
I just came from learning the news that Radio Disney is getting shut down by the Walt Disney Company due to the pandemic and the change in personal music selections from young generations of consumers. It was understandably a difficult decision for them. All those radio station divestitures in the past, it was getting tough for us to not hear it from the radio.
I thought I was one of like 10 people who remembered Radio Aahs! Even as a kid listening to it, NONE of my friends had ever even heard of it! I remember it came in on AM radio. I can still recite the words to some of their most played songs to this day. I'm so happy to see there's a story to wtf that whole thing was!
And now, Radio Disney has ceased broadcasting in 2021.
I still remember listening to Radio Aahs. The “Good Morning” song from The All-American Alarm Clock, the song “Don’t Play With Bruno,” and more
I listened to both stations and preferred Radio Aahs. When Radio Disney launched I thought "hey, this is just a rip off of Radio Aahs." I had no idea it literally was.
Fun story, the only prize I ever won from a radio station was from Radio Aahs.
I wasn't born with Radio AAHS, I was born with Radio Disney, Which is February 8, 2005. But anyways, R.I.P. Radio AAHS May 12, 1990-January 30, 1998 and Radio Disney November 18, 1996-April 14, 2021. My is Radio Disney on 1560 AM in New York. It was the only station I picked up at night
I remember Radio Aahs, still have some cds in the basement collection. I saved the magazines for years! There was things song called, “brocolli and chocolate” and it still plays in my head from time to time. I remember how sad i was when Radio Aahs went away and i rejected radio disney
Radio Aahs wins lawsuit against Radio Disney, but declare Bankruptcy:
"I Won... But at what cost??"
Man, I remember Radio Aahs and early Radio Disney. Miss those days.
I still remember the old Radio Disney jingle and I would listen to it all the time as a kid. Good times
In the late 90s, I won a couple contests to be on the air in Seattle for Radio Disney for an hour each time. I think I ended up on the air three times or so. It was really fun as a 13 year old.
I worked at a group of radio stations. from 1991-1997. did a bit of all of it: sales, on air, billing, remotes, weather, news, even had to drive my dumb car in too many parades all over rural Indiana.
All of this footage is like a warm, wet blanket.
1:25 I have that shirt, or rather, “had” I don’t know where it is now. They gave it away along with other swag at a local town festival. I had never really listened to AM radio before. I was a kid, so naturally, the only station I got to listen to was my parents, riding in their car, even though, during this time, I got to ride up front by the controls. I remember listening to this frequency at home and not being all that impressed.
Edit - OMG! I still have the shirt! RADIO AAHS AM 1360 size 14-16 I was among their oldest part of their demographic
Radio Disney is now history.
Radio Disney never had an affiliate in my area (South Central WI), though occasionally you could pick up the stations out of Milwaukee or Chicago. I was kinda out of the age range anyway by the time they started. Had they started in the late 80's or early 90's, I'm sure I would have enjoyed it.
Man you must put so much work into finding B-Roll. Thanks for all the hard work! Keep it up!
"I do not make films for children... or, at least, not primarily for children."
"You're dead if you aim for kids."
- Walt Disney
I mean, considering some of the content in the early Disney films...yeah. Wasn’t all kid friendly 😂
I remember listening to Radio Aahs when one of my parents drove me to school. There are many songs I still remember listening to. I also remember being subscribed to the magazine and seeing the recording station at MGM Studios.
That sounds exactly like Michael Eisner... “If they can do it, Disney can do it and Disney can do it better”.
There was also a third player in the "Childrens Radio" format in Seattle, WA based "KidStar" which was in operation from May 14, 1993 to March 22, 1997. They had six affilates including: KKDZ 1250AM in Seattle, WA (Which later became a Radio Disney affilate in August 1997.), KDFC 1220AM in San Francisco, CA, WNFT (Now WDTW.) 1150AM in Boston, MA (Which previously carried Radio AAHS from 1994-1996.), KMPQ 980AM in Houston, TX & KDDZ (Now KNSN.) 1240AM in San Diego, CA (Which later became a Radio Disney affilate.)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KKDZ#KidStar
archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19970214&slug=2523962
I think if they had partnered with CBS Radio instead of ABC Radio,Radio Aahhs today would be the Nickelodeon of radio.
IHeartRadio did team with up with Nickelodeon for Nick Radio yet it only lasted for 5 years
Who came back here when Disney announced that Radio Disney will be shutting down?
They’re shutting down in less than 23 hours from now, actually
I grew up listening Radio Disney! I cant believe they played this dirty. Bad Disney. Bad Disney.
Sometime Disney’s so dirty
Really digging the soundtrack you’ve selected for the last several videos, Rob. And this one feels like another major leap forward. Kudos.
This is the best Rob Plays video yet. Great job. I didn't know the Radio Disney story was so epic. Thanks!
This was case of stolen thunder...the big radio station wins, causing the radio station which originated the idea to eventually become an also-ran...
Radio Disney knocked the wind out of Radio Aahs' sails.
I'm surprised Radio Disney did not open the door for more competition.
I wonder what it would be like if Nickelodeon Radio, Fox Kids Radio or Radio Kids' WB were introduced to tweens and teens as another competitor to Radio Aahs and Radio Disney in an alternate timeline version of the 1990s...
I know where the original Twin Cities Radio AAHS broadcasting facility was. It's still around today, but obviously not used for that.
I remember being a kid in 96 and listening constantly to AAHS. I even still have a tape I recorded from one of their broadcasts. I'd actually listen to it over and over throughout the rest of the decade as I always had a disdain toward Radio Disney. I had a feeling this was a reason why, but I guess as little kid I was excited to go into that broadcasting building to see the recording studio, and I never could after Radio Disney hit the airwaves. I had very bizarre priorities as a kid!
When MOA camp Snoopy was first opening I won tickets to it on Radio Aahs. Great memories of that station. I listened to Radio Disney with kids I babysat etc but Radio Aahs was my jam as a kid.
I loved radio Disney growing up. My station was 1560 AM in New York City. My mom even won 4 tickets for a cruise around the Statue of Liberty
🎉🙀WOWZA! The Fate Of Radio Aahs Was Brutal!🙀🎉
Disney did same scam for their Sportsplex “ideas” 🤬.
Radio Ahhs won lawsuit against Disney but later files for bankruptcy.
Radio Ahhs: How could I win but still lose?!?
Another fantastic educational video from Rob !! Great work brother.
Huh, what a great presentation. I never thought about the history of radio Disney.
It’s 2021, and radio Disney is set to shut down 😓
Thanks for the history lesson. I had no idea this even happened!!
Radio Ahs (we thought it was "oz") had so much better programming than Radio Disney. When our city switched over, my friends and I were bummed.
I used to think it was Oz as well
Now you have to make one on why they are no longer doing radio Disney.
Wow, I remember when this all went down. I remember listening to a radio aahs affiliate and (to my 7 year old self) they disappeared without a trace. Radio Disney took over the market and I remember not liking the programming as much at first. Very interesting to know the full backstory now. Very well done film!
Do disgusting. Sums up everything wrong with our system. It shouldn't be possible to bankrupt a company through legal fees. Disney should have had to pay an insane amount in damages.
Oh my god I totally had that CD with the bear and crow on it as a kid!! The only song I remember the name of it is Three Little Pigs Blues... But I reember more tracks from it. Crazy to be reminded of it!
12:28 I don't know if they ever re-made those pencils in another context, but I've had one of those sitting unused in my drawer for about 20 years. Same highly impractical shape (hence why it was unused). I lived just far enough from LA that I didn't get Radio Disney signal, so if it was the Radio Disney pencil, I probably would have gotten it on a trip to visit relatives who lived in LA.
dragonbretheren They sell Mickey shaped pencils in the gift shops at the parks
@@2kn111 Thanks. I'm not sure if I would have bought something like this. I've always had a very high sensitivity to textures and this pencil had the smooth holofoil sheen (the kind with small tessellating shapes) that trading cards sometimes use and was becoming very popular in the mid-90's, which made it very uncomfortable for me to hold, much less use.
Anyway, I never really took note of the branding on the side, so I don't know if it was specifically a Radio Disney promotional one or not, but I got rid of it a year ago, so now I'll never know.
Disney has a country station??? That sounds horrifying. Not because I hate country music, but because of modern country music combined with Disney sounds ungodly
Not surprised Radio Disney was built off the tattered ashes of someone they burned.
One Time I Hung Up On Radio Disney! Basically I Called Them, Asked Them If They Were Really Radio Disney, & Hung Up When I Thought They Said No! But Then I Listened To The Replay In The Car Where Some Girl Had Called Radio Disney & Hung Up! I Then Connected The Dots & Realized That The Girl Was Actually Me! I Was So Embarrassed, & About 8-10 Years Later, I Still Am! But I Feel A Bit Better Now Thanks To Your Video!🍯
Honestly, as a Canadian constantly seeing the initials for the Children's Broadcasting Corporation is unintentionally funny since it's also the Initials of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation which does TV and Radio broadcasting.
Fascinating story! You really do a great job of presenting tales that are mostly forgotten. Good stuff, buddy!
Since I haven’t been going to work I haven’t listened to your podcasts (used to listen on my way too and from work) Im going to be catching up on a few episodes tonight!
This is one of the court cases where you cant really get a definitive answer because you cant know what people are thinking.
Good job following up a story about Disney being the victim to being the bad guy. It’s interesting to see how the world turns.
Thank you for doing this video I developed a skin disease when I was 10 years old my brother was driving in the NHRA Jr drag league up at Indianapolis raceway park at the end of July of 1995 for the second annual Junior Nationals there was a kids zone for everybody and there was a representative from 830 am in the station of radio ahhs they hand me a pamphlet and I turned on the station and my parents car in for the whole weekend I sat in the car listening to radio ahhs made me forget that I have a skin and I had a very screwed-up home life thanks to my adulterous dad I live around Aurora in Lawrenceburg Indiana I found on am 1360 radio ahhs a station out of Cincinnati I found that in September 95 I listen to the station I loved it avenue a the big show all these different shows then all of a sudden station disappeared from Cincinnati radio at the end of 96 I got to listen to it when my brother raced at the race track again in 97 by the time we went up there 98 it was gone I used to have a lot of recordings of radio ahhs but thanks to the stupidity of my father all my recordings were destroyed it shattered me I've never really never got over losing those recordings from the station that I taped as a kid I would love to listen to him again but thanks to my dad who was a control freak and a hoarder he would not let me get to them and they were destroyed from being wet I think next to my mom's death from two years ago losing radio cassette of radio ahhs all the recordings shattered me if that station made me feel like a kid I was very a very dysfunctional situation that was the only time I ever felt like a normal child thanks a lot Disney you took something and you ruined it but why am I shocked you stole kimba it made them simba
I loved Radio Disney as a kid (AM 540 was the station where I grew up). Sad to see that it came about in such an ugly way, but this was a really fascinating video! Thanks Rob!
Reasons like this are why I honestly don’t care at all for Disney as a company.
I remember listening to this station in Detroit. 1370am. I would call in to listen to Tammy Morgan every other night. Then the station stop carrying it and sadly I lost contact with her and the station. I found out Radio Ahhs is now Disney.
Never listened to either before. But I remember hearing about radio Disney. I’m surprised to hear that it’s still around.
And now radio Disney is dead November 18, 1996 - January 22, 2021
I really like the music in this one. I feel it matches the theme of the video well.
A great video Rob. No ideas this happened and thanks
I never knew Radio Disney was in Dallas. My kids and I did Spring Break every year in Orlando, and listened to Radio Disney in Orlando. We lived in Dallas... and did not know it even broadcast there.
and people still say "capitalism breeds innovation" lol
Another brilliant video, Rob. You are hitting it our of the park lately.
This video is great, who knew such a different subject had soo much details and history. You guys always make good videos!
You should do something about the Summer Jam Concert series. I remember watching those on the Disney Channel.
"Arbitor didn't bother collecting data on those under 12, as they considered them unimportant"
HM, I almost wonder who that was for...
Disney in the 1990s was a really scummy company...
@@EclecticInventor No, not as much now.
Definitely still are
Kobe Angeles its not the same scummy, its still bad but it’s different
KtmriDmcy no, they are NOT scummy.
@@gpturner0924 I would say removing black actors from film posters to appease a racist government is pretty scummy.
Wow this is such an interesting story!! I would have never known.
Well researched and well presented as always!
I remember radio AAhs here in Phoenix arizona. It was on 740 am
Man I remember that my school got me hooked on radio Disney when I was younger😂
Radio Disney was so odd, yet so fun. I liked it as a kid
Wow this is the most I’ve cared about radio Disney in years
I remember in the early-mid 2000s in Michigan the local Radio Disney station came into my elementary school and did a give away/promo. The schools also put in a requirement for only Radio Disney to be listened to on the elementary school buses. -- We wanted to listen to other stations and were told no. -- Got to get really familiar to Crazy Frog, Hampster Dance, Why Not, Coming Clean... The station is now a Christian Radio station.
A vid about radio, I guess video didn’t kill the radio star